In this much belated episode of What Voting Means to Me, we hear from David Levine, a longtime election official and international election observer who is currently serving as the director of elections and general registrar for the city of Richmond, Virginia.

David shares stories from Moldova to Maryland, from mobile voting food trucks to countering AI-driven misinformation. But what stands out most is the steady heartbeat beneath it all: his belief that participation is power. That voting is not just a right-- it's a bulwark. And that showing up, again and again, is how democracy survives.

Let's make voting fun again! Kim and Mara talk about ways to get people excited about the democratic process-- be it through "I voted" sticker selfies, making democracy themed art & music, or hosting election night parties. Kim talks about her frustration that voting is too often dismissed as easy. But she reminds us of this reality: if you didn't grow up in a voting-centric household, you may have not been taught what it means and how to vote. It's no surprise then that Kim has dedicated much of her work to supporting voter education and access. Kim and Mara also discuss mysteries the LA County Mosquito Abatement Commission, and reflect on all that has changed in the time that Kim has been in the election space. Kim is a deeply intuitive, insightful, and empathetic guest. Please enjoy!

Voting is innovation. Voting is the right to be in community. We are more than our singular votes; it is in the collective that they matter. In this episode Mara talks about these ideas and much more with ⁠Kevin Johnson⁠, co-founder and director of ⁠Election Reformers Network⁠ (ERN), an organization dedicated to protecting elections from polarization through independent and non-partisan innovation. Kevin talks about what it's like to observe emerging democracies, and the incredible experience of watching people vote for the first time. He talks about the work ERN is doing to advocate for independent redistricting and non-partisan election administration, and he and Mara muse about how we should view the work our election officials do for us within the context of representative democracies.